The invention relates to aqueous high sudsing liquid detergent compositions containing specified amounts and types of surfactants especially useful in the washing of tableware, kitchenware and other hard surfaces.
The compositions of this invention provide more complete drainage of rinse water from surfaces such as glass, ceramics and metal, thereby reducing spotting and filming, particularly in a dishwashing procedure that involves drain drying without towel drying and polishing.
The performance of a detergent composition for cleaning glasses, dishes, and other articles with a normally shiny surface is evaluated by the consumer in terms of shine and the absence of filming, streaking, and spotting. The liquid dishwashing detergent compositions presently on the market are designed to remove the soils from glasses, dishes, and other tableware and kitchen utensils. The detergent solution and redeposited soil residues are normally removed from the washed articles by rinsing and optionally by towel drying the articles when they are still wet. If not rinsed and towel dried, these residues can dry upon the surfaces of the washed articles, leaving films, streaks, or spots.
Even when such articles are entirely clean but rinsed in plain water containing dissolved salts such as water hardness, spots and streaks can appear on the washed and rinsed surfaces upon evaporation of the water.
Towel drying of washed articles, e.g., glasses and dishes, immediately after removal from the washing and rinsing solution, is undesirable from the standpoints of convenience and hygiene. Therefore, it is common practice to put the washed or washed and rinsed articles aside for draining and air-drying. Consequently, the cleaning efficacy of the product used, which the housewife may have visually appreciated at the end of the washing or rinsing cycle, is diminished due to the adherence of redeposited soil, residual dried detergent, and water hardness residues.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,963,649, Spadini et al, discloses liquid detergent compositions containing a nonionic surfactant and a water-soluble gel-forming gelatin. These compositions are said to minimize filming, streaking and spotting of tableware and kitchen utensils. The essential nonionic surfactant may be a tertiary amine or phosphine oxide, an amide or a condensation product of ethylene oxide and an organic hydrophobic compound.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,983,079, Spadini et al, discloses dishwashing detergent compositions said to have good rinse water draining characteristics. The compositions contain a water-soluble quaternary ammonium compound, a nonionic surfactant containing both ethylene oxide and propylene oxide and a sultaine or betaine zwitterionic surfactant.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,144,201, Winterbotham et al, discloses liquid dishwashing detergent compositions containing soluble casein to improve drain-dry and mildness properties.
Belgium Pat. No. 845,184 discloses liquid and granular dishwashing detergent compositions containing one or more specified classes of surfactants to ensure rapid drainage and provide a shiny surface.
It is an object of the present invention to provide liquid detergent compositions and a process for dishwashing that promote rapid and relatively complete drainage of rinse water thereby reducing spotting and filming on surfaces such as glass, ceramics and metal.
There is a continuing need for compositions and methods which can be employed during dishwashing operations to improve the final dry appearance of washed and dried kitchen utensils and articles. If such compositions and methods are intended to be useful for conventional dishwashing soil removal operations, there is a continuing need for a compatible combination of materials which will simultaneously provide the surfactancy, sudsing, and mildness attributes of an acceptable dishwashing detergent composition as well as the anti-spotting and anti-filming benefits described above.